P.J. Hairston and the Tar Heels are safely off the bubble for now. (AP Photo)

Wichita State. 24-5, 12-4 Missouri Valley.

Rankings: RPI 31, Pomeroy 29. Best foot forward: 3-0 vs. RPI top 50, including win at VCU. Yeah, but … recent three-game skid stole the luster of a shiny record. Random note: The Shockers can lock up the MVC regular-season title with a win Saturday at Creighton.

Memphis. 24-3, 13-0 C-USA.

Rankings: RPI 18, Pomeroy 38. Best foot forward: Shiny overall record, undefeated in conference. Yeah, but … only one win against a top 50 RPI win (Southern Miss, twice). Random note: The Tigers are playing very well—they haven’t lost since December 15—but because Conference USA is so weak this season, they haven’t done much of anything to bulk up their resume.

Oklahoma. 18-8, 9-5 Big 12.

Rankings: RPI 22, Pomeroy 48. Best foot forward: Elite win vs. Kansas. Yeah, but … just 2-5 vs. RPI top 50. Random note: The Sooners’ home game against Iowa State on Saturday is their lone remaining regular-season game against a team under at-large consideration.

North Carolina. 19-8, 9-5 ACC.

Rankings: RPI 21, Pomeroy 31. Best foot forward: Wins against UNLV and N.C. State, ever-improving computer numbers. Yeah, but … just 4-6 in true road games, 2-6 vs. RPI top 50. Random note: The Tar Heels are playing with a lot of confidence at the moment; avoiding road losses at Clemson and Maryland is key.

10. Cincinnati, Creighton, Colorado, California

Cincinnati. 19-9, 7-8 Big East.

Rankings: RPI 48, Pomeroy 37. Best foot forward: 8-2 away from home. Yeah, but … the Bearcats have lost five of their past six games, and still have to play Connecticut and Louisville. Random note: The Bearcats’ poor NCSOS (RPI 165) won’t help anything.

Creighton. 22-7, 11-5 Missouri Valley.

Rankings: RPI 45, Pomeroy 24. Best foot forward: non-conference wins against Wisconsin and California look huge now. Yeah, but … Bluejays are just 5-6 in their past 11 games. Random note: The Bracketbusters loss at St. Mary’s didn’t exactly help Creighton’s case. Saturday’s game with Wichita State isn’t a must-win, but it’s become more important than might have been thought a month ago.

Colorado. 18-8, 8-6 Pac-12.

Rankings: RPI 29, Pomeroy 44. Best foot forward: Elite home win vs. Arizona, decent NCSOS (RPI 40). Yeah, but … Buffs are just 4-6 on the road, including a loss at Utah (RPI 175). Random note: Colorado is 7-2 after a rough start to Pac-12 play.

California. 18-9, 10-5 Pac-12.

Rankings: RPI 44, Pomeroy 57. Best foot forward: Elite win at Arizona, beat UCLA, swept Oregon. Yeah, but … just 5-9 vs. RPI top 100. Random note: The Bears weren’t even in the bubble conversation at the beginning of February, but a 6-1 record this month (including all those previously mentioned big wins) changed the course of their season.

11. Temple, La Salle, Villanova, Akron (MAC)

Temple. 19-8, 8-5 Atlantic 10.

Rankings: RPI 40, Pomeroy 70. Best foot forward: Elite win against Syracuse, home wins vs. Saint Louis and La Salle. Yeah, but … that home loss to Duquesne (RPI 217) was rough. Random note: Since that loss to Duquesne, though, the Owls have won three in a row against potential NCAA teams (at UMass, vs. La Salle, at Charlotte)

La Salle. 19-7, 9-4 Atlantic 10.

Rankings: RPI 37, Pomeroy 51. Best foot forward: Back-to-back wins vs. Butler and at VCU in late January. Yeah, but … the ugly November loss to Central Connecticut State (RPI 192) stains the resume. Random note: The Explorers have a full week off—always welcome this time of the year—before hosting Duquesne on Saturday.

Villanova. 18-11, 9-7 Big East.

Rankings: RPI 52, Pomeroy 54. Best foot forward: Home wins against Syracuse, Louisville and Marquette, road win at UConn. Yeah, but … swept by Providence, lost at Seton Hall and that November loss to Columbia (RPI 258) is awful. Random note: The Wildcats’ top four wins are a pretty good anchor for what is a strange tournament resume.

Rankings: RPI 51, Pomeroy 35. Best foot forward: Wins vs. Kansas State and Oklahoma. Yeah, but … that loss at Texas Tech (RPI 222) means butterflies on Selection Sunday. Random note: The Cyclones have opportunities to secure a bid, with a home game against Oklahoma State, in addition to a road game at Oklahoma. Fred Hoiberg's squad nearly got a great win against Kansas on Monday, but lost in overtime.

St. Mary’s. 24-5, 12-2 West Coast.

Rankings: RPI 43, Pomeroy 26. Best foot forward: Home Bracketbusters win vs. Creighton, swept BYU. Yeah, but … just one RPI top 50 win and a weak overall SOS (RPI 128). Random note: Led by outstanding guard Matthew Dellavedova, the Gaels pass the NCAA Tournament eye test, but their resume is incredibly thin. The selection committee rewards teams that play aggressive schedules, and the Gaels most definitely did not do that this season.

Kentucky. 19-8, 10-4 SEC.

Rankings: RPI 46, Pomeroy 32. Best foot forward: Finally earned an RPI top 50 win this week, vs. Missouri. Yeah, but … no Nerlens Noel the rest of the season. Random note: The Missouri game last week was a must-win, and the game at Arkansas this Saturday probably counts as one, too.

Rankings: RPI 47, Pomeroy 62. Best foot forward: Road win at Creighton, home win against UNLV. Yeah, but … they have an awful NCSOS (RPI 230), plus road losses at Nevada (RPI 154) and Utah (RPI 175). Random note: The Broncos have three great opportunities remaining in the regular season, vs. Colorado State and San Diego State and at UNLV.